§ Mr. Onslowasked the Secretary of State for Foreign an Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received about British passport holders transitting United States airports without a visa; and what advice his Department gives to airline passengers about obtaining a transit visa or tourist visa for use on such occasions.
§ Mr. EggarWe are aware of complaints from members of the public who have run into difficulties transitting United States airports without a visa. Although it is not for us to advise on the visa requirements of other countries, we have discussed this problem with the United States Embassy in London. Their advice is that while British passport holders may transit the United States without a visa, they can be certain of avoiding any obstacles by obtaining either a transit or a tourist visa in advance, both of which are free of charge.
§ Mr. Kaufmanasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will state for each country concerned the average duration of a visa issued to visitors to the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. EggarThe information requested is not available. However, single entry visas now being issued are normally valid for presentation at a United Kingdom port within six months. Where a multiple entry visa is issued, this is now normally valid for up to two years.
§ Mr. Kaufmanasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the countries which require visas for visitors from the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. EggarOn the latest information available the following foreign and Commonwealth countries require British citizens to obtain an entry visa before making a visit:
Visa requirements for British citizens—foreign couniries
Visa required
- Afghanistan
- Albania
- Angola
- Argentina
- Benin
- Bhutan
- Bulgaria
849 - Burkina Faso
- Burma
- Burundi
- Cameroon
- Cape Verde Islands
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Chile
- China (Peoples Republic)
- Comores Islands
- Congo (Peoples Republic)
- Cuba
- Czechoslovakia
- Djibouti
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- Egypt (issued on arrival)
- E1 Salvador
- Equatorial Guinea
- Ethiopia (issued on arrival)
- Gabon (issued on arrival)
- Germany (Democratic Republic)
- Guatemala
- Guinea-Bissau
- Guinea (Republic of)
- Haiti
- Hungary
- Iran
- Iraq
- Jordan
- Korea (Democratic Peoples Republic)
- Kuwait
- Laos
- Lebanon
- Liberia
- Libya
- Macao
- Madagascar
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Mozambique
- Nepal (issued on arrival)
- New Caledonia
- Nicaragua
- Niue
- Oman
- Poland
- Puerto Rico
- Qatar
- Romania
- Rwanda
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Saudi Arabia
- Senegal
- Somalia
- South Africa
- Sudan
- Syria
- Taiwan (Formosa)
- Uruguay
- United States of America
- Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
- Venezuela
- Vietnam (Socialist Republic)
- Virgin Islands (USA)
- Yemen Arab Republic
- Yemen (Peoples Democratic Republic)
- Zaire
Visa requirements for British citizens — Commonwealth countries
Visa required
850W
- Australia
- Bangladesh
- Ghana
- India
- Maldives (issued on arrival)
- Nauru (issued on arrival)
- Nigeria
- Sierra Leone
§ Mr. Kaufmanasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will state (a) the total number of applications for visas received by his Department in 1985 from intending visitors to the United Kingdom, from each country concerned and (b) the total number of such applications refused, from each country concerned.
§ Mr. EggarThe information requested about applications and refusals is not readily available and can only be obtained at a disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. Kaufmanasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will state the total cost to his Department in 1985 of processing applications for visas from intending visitors to the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. EggarThe total cost to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office budget for entry clearance work worldwide in 1985 was £19 million. It is estimated that of this figure £7 million was for processing long-term entry clearances and £12 million for short-term entry clearances, which includes all visitors.
§ Mr. Kaufmanasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will state, in respect of each country concerned, the average length of time taken by his Department in 1985 to process an application for a visa from an intending visitor to Britain.
§ Mr. EggarThe information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. Kaufmanasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if his Department requires nationals of countries who require visas to visit the United Kingdom to make personal applications for such visas.
§ Mr. EggarNot in the great majority of cases. Many visas are issued as a result of postal applications.
§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consultations he had with Commonwealth Governments prior to the decision to introduce new visa procedures for some Commonwealth states.
§ Mr. EggarNo prior consultation took place. I informed diplomatic representatives in London of the Governments concerned of the new requirements on the day the decision was taken. At the same time Governments were informed by our missions in those countries. Subsequent discussions have taken place both in London and other capitals.
§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will estimate, for each of the Commonwealth nations subject to new visa procedures, the number of applications for visas he expects in the year 1987 together with an estimate of the extra number of staff and costs incurred in each country.
§ Mr. EggarThe estimated number of extra applications and extra entry clearance officers for the four Commonwealth countries is contained in the following table: 851W
Estimated number of extra applications for 1987 Estimated extra number of entry clearance officers Nigeria 132,000 27 Ghana 25,000 4 India 149,000 22 Bangladesh 7,700 4 Start-up costs in these four countries is expected to be £6.3 million spread over financial years 1986–87 to 1988–89. Recurrent costs are estimated to be:
Nigeria £8.3 million Ghana £0.6 million India £3.1 million Bangladesh £0.5 million for the 1987–88 financial year, making a total of £12.5 million.
§ Mr. Kaufmanasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many additional staff were on duty in Her Majesty's diplomatic missions in
Visit Visa Applications Received (6 October onwards) Granted Refused Outstanding (as at 17 October) Average time: application to issue India 3,500 3,338 19 143 same day Pakistan 1,218 1,166 25 27 same day Bangladesh 195 172 23 — same day These figures discount the possibility that a very small number of nationals of one country may have applied in another.
§ Mr. Kaufmanasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many staff in addition to normal complement were in post on 14 October at Her Majesty's diplomatic missions in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, to process applications for visitors' visas.
§ Mr. EggarOn 14 October additional entry clearance staff in post were as follows: India, none; Pakistan, two; Bangladesh, one.
§ Mr. Kaufmanasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will state the hours at which Her Majesty's diplomatic missions have been open since 6 October to receive applications for visas from visitors from India, Pakistan or Bangladesh.
§ Mr. EggarMissions in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh have been open since 6 October to receive applications for visit visas from nationals of those countries, as shown on the table.
Post Hours open to Public Office Hours New Delhi 09.00–12.30 09.00–17.00 Bombay 08.00–11.30 08.00–16.00 Calcutta 09.00–12.30 09.00–17.00 Madras 09.00–12.30 09.00–17.00 Islamabad 08.00–12.30 Sunday/Monday 07.30–17.00 Tuesday/Thursday 07.30–14.10 Karachi 08.00–12.30 Sunday/Wednesday 08.00–13.30 Monday, Tuesday & Thursday 08.00–17.00 Dhaka 07.30–14.00 07.30–14.00
§ Mr. Kaufmanasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement as 852W India, Pakistan and Bangladesh on 6 October to process applications for visas from intending visitors to the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. EggarNone. Additional staff began arriving at posts shortly before visa requirement began on 15 October.
§ Mr. Kaufmanasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will state (a) the number of applications received by his Department since 6 October for visas from nationals of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, listing separately the number from each country, (b) the number of such applications from each country which were (i) granted, (ii) refused and (iii) still outstanding on 17 October and (c) in relation to each country the average length of time taken from application to grant of a visa.
§ Mr. EggarInformation relating to applications made in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh is given in the following table. (Details of applications received outside those countries are not available centrally.)
to why the additional staff necessary for the administration of visas for visitors from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh were not available in Her Majesty's diplomatic missions in the days immediately preceding 15 October; and if he will state when they will be available.
§ Mr. EggarIntolerable pressures at Heathrow necessitated early implementation of the visa regimes. For logistical reasons it was not possible to deploy the extra staff allocated by 15 October. All but one will have arrived by the end of October.
§ Mr. Kaufmanasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement in relation to the conditions faced by applicants for visitors' visas at Her Majesty's high commission in New Delhi as a result of shortage of staff since 6 October.
§ Mr. EggarUp to 9 October numbers of applicants were easily manageable but on 13–14 October the immigration section was under pressure as applications rose to 166 and 157 respectively. On 15 October the new applicants' waiting area came into operation and conditions have now improved. Those applying for visit visas have on average been issued within 90 minutes.